Volume 4 | July 1 2020
Welcome to the UMJ Newsletter!
Understanding My Journey: Supporting Soft Skills Development for Young People is a cross-sector Erasmus+ project being led by Ballymun Job Centre along with 6 European partners in Croatia (OAZA), the UK (Rise International), Italy (IFOA), Portugal (ANESPO), Poland (STRIM), and Greece (Action Synergy).

Understanding My Journey aims to support the soft skills and personal development of young people aged 16-30, across a range of contexts and sectors. The UMJ partnership have developed a range of interactive tools for young people and practitioners and are delighted to share them with you in this newsletter.
Soft Skills Toolkit and App
The UMJ Toolkit aims to allow young people develop "soft skills" - the transferable skills that complement technical and academic skills.
The Toolkit includes practical guidance for developing 8 different soft skills together with overall advice on how to use each soft skill section. The 8 soft skills are as follows:

  • Positive Attitude
  • Communication
  • Adaptability
  • Time & Energy Management
  • Work Ethic
  • Problem Solving & Analytical Thinking
  • Teamwork
  • Leadership

Each Toolkit section has been piloted by young people and practitioners to determine its effectiveness and usefulness. The Toolkits are now available to download in the 6 partner languages.  

The UMJ App is an interactive web-based application that complements the UMJ Toolkit. The app takes the metaphor of a "journey", with various stages on a mountain climb, and gamifies the approach used in the Toolkit. Avatar "mentors" take young people on a journey towards developing their soft skills and, at the beginning and end, they will be able to evaluate and measure their skills progression digitally. Users also have the option to ask a trusted person for a second opinion on their soft skills development.

Click the link below to sign up for a UMJ app account to start your own soft skills journey!

Practitioner Guide
The UMJ Practitioner Guide aims to support those working with young people to introduce them to the UMJ Toolkit and App. The guide will help practitioners to ensure that the tools are used effectively and that they are successfully integrated into the activities that the young people are involved in. 

BJC practitioners providing feedback on the Guide
Impact of COVID-19: UMJ Works from Home!

UMJ Project Granted Extension
As a result of the COVID-19 restrictions, many of the UMJ partnership's previously planned activities were left in limbo. Luckily, Léargas, the Irish National Agency, granted UMJ a 3 month extension with a new project end date of 30th November 2020.

Stay tuned to our website and Facebook page for updates about our upcoming multiplier events and other dissemination activities. In the meantime, we'll be staying safe and socially distant!